The overall objectives of the proposed Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (Drew) MBRS SCORE program are to significantly improve the quality and quantity of biomedical/biobehavioral research and scientific publications by promising junior investigators addressing issues of health disparities for ethnic minorities. The program consists of 1) an administrative core and 2) research projects from developing faculty. Six pilot projects and six subprojects are proposed. Each junior investigator will be paired with a senior mentor and will participate in a structured training seminar series to enhance their research and scientific communication skills and knowledge. The specific aims of this application are to: [unreadable] 1) Enhance institutional biomedical research capabilities by increasing the number of biomedical researchers at Drew. [unreadable] 2) Provide support for pilot projects and subprojects to stimulate and better prepare promising minority junior investigators and junior investigators with a strong commitment to issues affecting disadvantaged populations for biomedical/biobehavioral research careers. [unreadable] 3) Promote faculty development through the support of mentored-research pilot projects and subprojects by pairing dedicated senior investigators with promising junior faculty and providing an infrastructure for formal mentoring via an advisory committee for the junior faculty members. [unreadable] 4) Promote faculty development through the implementation of a research seminar series to strengthen, and increase the research productivity and scientific communication skills of promising junior faculty. [unreadable] 5) Continuously evaluate the processes and the initial objectives of the Drew MBRS SCORE program and utilize these assessments to make ongoing programmatic improvements in consultation with NIGMS program officials. [unreadable] [unreadable] The expected outcome of the MBRS SCORE program at Drew is that mentored junior investigators will successfully compete for independent peer-reviewed funding and the eventual attainment of a "tenured" research track academic appointment. [unreadable] [unreadable]